Disposable Cap for Carbonated-Beverage Can

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a simple, two-piece device that is placed and properly positioned over the top of an open can of carbonated beverage. The Disposable Cap invention significantly slows the escape of carbonation gas from a canned beverage and its container over a period of several days, when the canned beverage, with Disposable Cap, is duly placed in a refrigerated environment. In this way, the beverage remaining in the opened can maintains its desirability for the consumer much longer than when the cap is not used. The device is most effective when covering an open can within which at least half its content remains.

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 8,025,170 September 2011 Richard 220/254.4 7,918,363 April 2011 Morabito, et al 220/705 7,891,517 February 2011 Simmons 220/243 7,757,889 July 2010 Zipris, et al 220/789 7,686,183 March 2010 Ziegler 220/740 6,626,314 September 2003 McHenry, et al 220/254.2 6,575,324 June 2003 Hamer 220/325 6,478,179 November 2002 Alexander 220/325 6,155,452 December 2000 Laurent 220/739 6,098,830 August 2000 Jamieson 220/259.1 6,059,137 May 2000 Westwood, et al 220/258.2 5,842,594 December 1998 Ibara 220/314 5,692,633 December 1997 Gordon 220/253 5,562,226 October 1996 Valyi, et al 220/255.1 5,402,904 April 1995 Close 220/254.3 5,346,088 September 1994 Brimo, II 220/806 5,242,073 September 1993 Willis, et al 220/240 5,240,132 August 1993 Tucker 220/212 5,176,278 January 1993 Quarberg 220/320 4,872,573 October 1989 Johnson, et al 215/347 4,804,103 February 1989 Goldberg 220/251

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous devices have been constructed and described, whose purpose is that of prolonging carbonation of a beverage in a can after the can has been recently opened. In some designs, a process was described for sealing the can-opening with a hardening, foam-like substance. A few inventions incorporate a mechanized plug for the hole in the top of an opened can. Others utilize a cap with a mechanism for clamping the cap to the top rim of an open can and a second mechanism for compressing a rubber-like (“elastomeric”) disk to the can's top surface (including the hole) thereby forming an effective seal. Moreover, many variations of those methods and processes have been devised. Almost all such inventions, that were researched, incorporate either simple or complex metallic mechanisms for accomplishing their purpose, and the devices were designed to be reusable. In each case, the design was to provide a seal, for an open can, that is virtually airtight and very effective for disallowing the escape of carbonation gas from the can.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is designed to slow, significantly, the escape of carbonation gas from an opened can containing a carbonated beverage. It is an exceedingly simple device that accomplishes the goal just stated and also is very simple to use. It consists of a round sheet of soft plastic (of similar or the same quality as plastic used in production of plastic sandwich-bags) which has been adhered (glued) to a rubber or Styrofoam ring at the sheet's circumferential edge. When the ring is placed atop a typical aluminum beverage can, and then pushed down along the can's sides, the plastic sheet tautly covers the rim of the can. The diameter of the ring is just slightly smaller than that of a standard beverage can and grips the can securely, but without warping it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the upper portion of a standard-size, typically aluminum, can that is open at the pull ring.

FIG. 2 shows the components of the invention. These are a round sheet (1) to be about 4 inches in diameter and made of soft plastic (or other suitable material) and a ring-shaped member (2) made of rubber or Styrofoam (or other suitable material) with diameter just slightly less than that of a typical aluminum beverage can (perhaps 1/32 or 1/64 of an inch less in diameter).

FIG. 3 shows the invention fitted atop a beverage can.

FIG. 4 shows a cylindrical item made of wood or firm plastic (or other suitable material) with diameter about the same as a standard-size beverage can and height of about 1½ inches. The cylinder may or may not be used in construction of the invention and is not a part of it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The Disposable Cap for a Carbonated-Beverage Can is very simple in its design, construction and use. The following is referenced in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. To construct the device, a round sheet (1) made of soft plastic (or other suitable material) is centered over the round surface of the cylindrical object (3). All around the circumferential edge of the sheet, about a quarter-inch from that circumferential edge, an adhesive is applied. Next, a ring-like member (2) made of rubber or Styrofoam (or other suitable material) is placed atop the plastic sheet (1) that rests over the cylindrical member (3), and the ring is pushed down the depth of the cylinder, with the plastic sheet between the ring and cylinder. The plastic sheet (1) temporarily takes the form of the cylinder, with the ring surrounding the sheet's circumferential edges. After some seconds, the ring (2) and the plastic sheet (1) have become adhered (or glued) together. Next, the device, consisting of the ring (2) and sheet (1) are pulled up from, and freed from, the cylindrical member (3). Other methods may be used to achieve the desired adhesion between the sheet and ring.

When the Disposable Cap (FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) is placed atop an open beverage can and the ring is pushed down, to the device's limit, along the sides of the can, the plastic sheet becomes taut around the rim of the can (FIG. 3). The rubber or Styrofoam ring grips the circumferential sides of the can securely, but gently enough not to warp an open aluminum can. This allows the plastic sheet to maintain its tautness over the rim of the can. While the seal is far from airtight, i.e., providing the hermetic seal claimed in previous inventions, it has been shown to impede, significantly, the escape of carbonation from the beverage and can, when the can is duly placed in a refrigerated environment. Removal of the Disposable Cap accords with the simplicity of its construction and application. The ring is simply pulled up (gently but firmly) along the sides of the can until the Cap is freed altogether from the can. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Materials comprising the device are commonplace and easy to obtain or manufacture, and production of the device is simple and cost-effective.
 2. Use of the device presents virtually no challenge to a typical user.
 3. The device, when properly fitted over an open beverage can, is sufficient to slow, significantly, the escape of a beverage's carbonation from the can, when the “capped” can is duly placed in a refrigerated environment.
 4. The device, when properly used, will sufficiently maintain carbonation within a canned beverage over a period of several days in a refrigerated environment, thereby preserving the beverage's desirability for a user.
 5. Owing to claim 1, when the device is available to a user at negligible cost, the user is afforded the easy option of discarding the device after one use, if the user so desires.
 6. The device, when properly applied, provides a measure of protection from foreign bodies entering the open can. 